Russian Mining Company Uses Trump's Face to Brand Asbestos

An asbestos company in Russia is marketing its product using one of the most recognizable faces in the world - President Donald Trump.

The Russian mining firm, Uralasbest, posted photos of several pallets labeled with Trump's face to its Facebook page last month.

"Approved by Donald Trump, 45th President of the United States," the seal reads in Cyrillic.

Asbestos is a fibrous silicate material that saw widespread use in industrial and commercial purposes, like construction in the United States. The material went out of style after a series of scientific studies showed that exposure resulted in serious health concerns, such as mesothelioma and lung cancer. Use of asbestos is heavily restricted in the U.S., unlike 60 other countries which have banned it outright.

The 'stamp of approval' comes after the Environmental Protection Agency decided not to ban new asbestos products outright and that the agency would evaluate new uses of asbestos on a case-by-case basis. Environmental groups have criticized the EPA and its former administrator, Scott Pruitt for not going further by barring them on public health grounds.

Uralasbest, located in the mining city of Asbest in the Ural mountains, operates a massive mine for the material that reaches seven-miles long, a mile and a half wide and around 1,000 feet deep according to The Center for Public Integrity.

Trump has expressed his support for asbestos in the past, saying it was "100% safe, once applied," in his 1997 book, The Art of the Comeback. In 2012, Trump tweeted he believed the World Trade Center buildings "would never have burned down" after the Sept. 11 attacks if asbestos hadn't been removed from the building.

Some uses of asbestos are completely banned in the U.S., but some use is still permitted in clothing and roofing. The World Health Organization says "all types of asbestos cause lung cancer, mesothelioma, cancer of the larynx and ovary, and asbestosis," and that exposure comes from inhaling airborne fibers in working environments and around factories that use the material.